Rachel Myr wrote: "It seems that both his clavicles were fractured at
birth, but this was not discovered until two months later, I think during
the hospital stay to try to find out why he was screaming and fighting the
breast.  Likely uncomfortable to be held from the start."

Poor little baby. Two months with no recognition from health care providers
that he was in pain. Not discomfort. Pain. And poor mother, knowing
something is wrong and not being able to get a healthcare provider to take
it seriously enough to keep working to figure out what it is sooner. I am
appalled to hear this.

"Reflux has not been investigated, much to her frustration, because he not
only spits up, he sometimes 'empties himself' completely - projectile
vomiting by her description, though not daily.  There has been no
investigation of his neurological status.  No physical therapist or OT or
speech therapist has been involved.  The admitting doctor is aware that the
problem has not subsided, despite baby's passing the age when 'colic' is a
common diagnosis, and his response was to re-label the behavior 'a bad
habit'.  But mother is optimistic that the PHN will support her if she
wants a referral for a neuro or a reflux work-up, which would be at a
university clinic."

Six months of severe breastfeeding difficulties with no referrals for any
of these most appropriate evaluations?! Labeling this baby's behavior "a
bad habit"?! Is there a word stronger than "appalled"? Rachel, does this
mother read English? I wonder if she wouldn't find some companionship and
validation for her experience by reading my article, "Congenital Disorders:
Implications for Breastfeeding." It's written for LLL Leaders, but mothers
have told me they find it helpful, too--especially those mothers whose
babies' diagnoses have taken unbelievably long to obtain. It can be read in
full from the breastfeeding section of the publications page of my website.
I hope something there might be helpful for her. My Unit, "Congenital
Disorders in the Nursling" in LLLI's Lactation Consultant Series is an
expansion of this article.

Please keep us posted on the results of further evaluation. And this baby
*certainly* needs further evaluation.

And please tell her what a wonderful mother she is. She probably gets very
little (if any) recognition for her incredible efforts just to feed her
baby. She ought to get an award for outstanding mothering achievement.

Cynthia

Cynthia Good Mojab, MS clinical psychology, IBCLC, RLC
Ammawell
Email: [log in to unmask]
Web site: http://home.attbi.com/~ammawell

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